iEscape
by Aaerial15
Summary: Sequel to iGot the Death Sentence. A former police officer helps Missy Robinson escape from Custody. Sam and Freddie's wedding might have to wait until Missy and her acomplice are captured.
1. Engagement Party

**iEscape**

**An iCarly fanfic**

_Author's note: I do not own the characters in this story, just the situations involved. All characters are the property of Nickelodeon._

_I've been thinking about it for a while, and decided to write a sequel to iGot the Death Sentence. You might want to read that first, so you know what the heck is going on. That being said, Enjoy!_

_"Will you marry me, and allow me the honour to call you my wife, and myself your husband?"_ It had been two weeks since Freddie had proposed. Sam Puckett was currently celebrating her engagement to Freddie Benson. Her friends and sister all congregated at Carly Shay's apartment, and they were celebrating so much more than an engagement party. Sam had recently been released from death row, where she spent two years for two murders she didn't commit. She'd come within inches of death by lethal injection when the truth had come out.

An old enemy of her's, Missy Robinson, had framed her for the murders of two of classmates. If that wasn't enough, she'd kidnapped her sister, and later kidnapped Carly. Within days of her execution, she'd visited Sam in her cell and proceeded to blackmail her into confessing. If her sister Melanie hadn't come forward when she did, Sam could may well be six feet under by now.

Sam took a few sips from her drink, but she didn't appear to be celebrating. It was as if a great burden weighed heavily on her mind. Melanie noticed the look on her sister's face, and decided to talk to her in private. "What's the matter, sis?" she asked. Sam shook her head. "I just keep thinking what if, you know? What if you hadn't come forward? What if Freddie was still in a coma?" Melanie understood more than anyone else what Sam was feeling. She had, after all, inadvertantly helped frame her sister. "I think the same thing every night," Melanie replied.

She really needed to get this off her chest. "Look Sam, I'm really sorry for putting you on death row. Can you ever forgive me?" The girl who looked exactly like Sam down to the last blonde curl was pleading for Sam's forgiveness. Sam embraced her sister in a much needed hug. "First of all, you had nothing to do with setting me up. That was squarely Missy and Nevel's doing. As far as I'm concerned, there is nothing to forgive." Melanie cried a few happy tears. "Although," Sam continued, "you could have been a smidge faster telling the truth. I was literally about to exit when they cleared me."

Melanie had no idea it had got that far. Sam hadn't talked about her prison experience at all since she'd been released. Carly, Freddie, Spencer and Jocelyn all had some understanding, because they visited her in prison. But what they knew barely scratched the surface. For instance, Carly and the others had never met Guard Sarah Greene, a woman who single handedly made Sam's life hell for most of her stay in prison. For that, Sam was thankful. "Hey," Sam said to Melanie. "Let's get back to the party."

As they went inside, Carly eyed them suspiciously. "What'd you guys talk about?" she asked, a smile begining to form on her face. Sam shook her head. "Nothing," both girls answered at the same time. "Come on, you can tell me," Carly pressed. Sam loved Carly to death. She was as much of a sister to her as Melanie was. But she really didn't want Carly to know what was going on in her head. "Seriously, we didn't talk about anything," she lied. Carly nodded, but you could tell she didn't quite buy it. "Look, Sam, if you need to, you can always talk to me." Sam knew that. She could talk to Freddie, too. "Look, drop it, ok?" she asked.

Carly shook her head. She'd been like this since she'd gotten out. She figured Sam needed time. She had a lot on her plate. On top of almost being executed, she'd been disowned by her mother. Carly suspected they wouldn't be on speaking terms for a very long time. And true to her word, Sam was now living with Carly and Spencer, as if she'd been born into the Shay family at birth.

"I have an announcement to make," Spencer said, tapping a glass to get everybody's attention. The entire gathering of friends and family focused on him. "Well let me start off by saying that I think I speak for everyone here when I say that I am so happy that Sam was cleared." Sam wiped a tear from her eye. She smiled as Spencer continued. "I think now is as good a time as any to reveal my wedding present to the bride and groom." Sam and Freddie's jaws dropped at the same time.

"My gift to the two of you, and I hope you don't mind, but I'm paying for your wedding." Freddie about fainted. Sam rushed forward and hugged her unofficial big brother. "How?" she whispered in his ear. He smiled as he replied, "My savings account. I read that part of your letter." Sam maintained a happy face, but her stomach dropped. Sooner or later, she'd have to talk to Carly about that. She had a feeling that the letter was the reason why Carly was being so prying since she was released. She perfered to postpone it for another time. She had everything she wanted. How was she to know that the worst was just around the corner?


	2. Unexpected Help

**Ch. 2 Unexpected Help**

Missy Robinson shifted uncomfortably in her seat. The police car was taking her to the court house, where she was to be arraigned. The news had made a frenzy out of this. Every time she listened to the radio it was always about how the Ridgeway Double-Murders had finally been solved. She replayed everything in her head. She'd told Nevel that they should have killed Melanie the second she'd outlived her usefulness. It was because of her that she was in this predicament. She had to hope that the police would make a mistake.

"Come on, Sam. You have to do this!" Carly Shay was currently trying to force a bridal magazine into Sam's unwilling hands. The guys were going for food, so it was just the girls in the Shay apartment. Melanie was enjoying the spectacle before her. "Carls, I don't want to," Sam said. She was only slightly annoyed. She'd missed out on a lot during her time in prison. "Just look at a few," Carly pressed. Sam shook her head. "I don't even think I'm going to wear a dress," she responded. Carly was shocked. "Not wear a wedding dress?" Melanie couldn't help but laugh. Carly had appointed herself as Sam's Maid of Honor, not that Sam objected.

She was glad it wasn't her in the position of trying to get Sam into a dress. "It's your wedding," Carly practically screamed. "You have to wear a dress for your wedding," she said. Sam gave her a dirty look. "Says who?" she questioned. Carly returned the stare. "It's tradition for the bride to wear a dress on her wedding day," Carly said. "Carls, I love you, but if you don't stop trying to plan my wedding, I may have to strangle you." She sent Carly a look to let her know she was kidding. "Ok, fine, but we're talking about this later," Carly said.

"Talking about what?" Freddie Benson asked as he entered the apartment with pizza. Melanie chuckled. "Carly's trying to get Sam to pick a wedding dress," she said brightly. Freddie took that in. "And I'm out of here," he said, turning on his heel. He got no closer to the door than he was stopped by an angry Sam. "Fredward Benson, get your ass back here!" his fiancee commanded. He nodded meekly. "Yes, ma'am," he said. He slowly sat next to Sam on the couch, and kissed his future wife. "Now that's more like it," she said as their lips parted.

Carly couldn't believe what she'd just witnessed. "Wow, you're whipped," she said as she got a piece of pizza. "I am not whipped," Freddie protested. "You kinda are," Melanie quipped. Sam looked at Freddie questioningly. "Did you order it with extra meat?" she asked. Freddie nodded. "Of course," he said. Sam smiled. "Good," she said. "Now get mama a piece." As Freddie rose from the couch, Carly and Melanie shared a knowing look. "Wpssh!" Carly said.

Court had not gone well for Missy. The judge had decided, rightly so, that she was too much of a flight risk to set bail. She made no attempt to mask her anger as the police led her to the car. As they made their way from the court house, the officers noticed a stranded motorist in the alley they were driving down. The officer driving got out to offer assistance. "What seems to be the trouble sir?" he asked. No sooner than he'd asked, the man replied by striking the officer in the head with a crowbar. He fell to the ground unconscious.

The female officer went for her weapon, only to be beat to the punch. The motorist had his own gun drawn. "Get out of the car!" he ordered. She kept her hands up as she complied. "Now, release the prisoner," he said. She slowly opened the back door, and let Missy out. There was the briefest pause as the handcuffs were undone. "Get up against the wall," he ordered. She did, and the person made it a point to take the radios from her and her fallen partner.

"Now say goodnight!" he said. Everything went black. "Who are you?" Missy questioned as they got in his car and drove away. "I'll explain later, we're escaping now." Missy nodded. She was too happy to be free. Now Sam Puckett, and all her friends would suffer.

Freddie had needed a break. He was out on the deck of Carly's apartment. "Mind if I join you?" Melanie asked. He simply gestured, and she came outside, closing the door behind her. "I'm still fuzzy on a lot of things," Freddie said. He could remember the impact of the bat against his head clearly. Everything else was a blur. "You don't have to tell me," she said sadly. "When they took me, I was so scared I could have died. I still have nightmares about it." Freddie nodded. "How do you do it?" he asked.

"Do what?" she replied. "Live with the trauma? The memories?" He fumbled for words. Melanie cut him off with a smile. She'd ask herself the same question every night for two years. "I don't know. At first, I guess what kept me going was the hope that someone, anyone, would find the truth." She struggled to maintain her composure. "Now that Sam is free, I try not to think about it as much as possible." The two friends embraced in a hug before going back inside.


	3. Common Grudges

**Ch.3 Common Grudges**

Missy and her mysterious rescuer hadn't said a word since he'd sprung her. They eventually pulled into an abandoned warehouse outside of city limits. As they got out of the car, Missy took in her new surroundings. "This is definately better than a prison cell," she said smugly. For the first time, she got a good look at her rescuer. His hair was slightly disheveled, and he was in need of a shave. "Now that we're out of danger, I can properly introduce myself," he said with a grin. He extended his hand. "My name is John Peters, and I'd like to help you with your Puckett problem."

Missy's face lit up like it was Christmas morning. Someone else didn't like Sam? This was too good. "If you don't mind my asking, what do you have against Sam?" she asked. John's face became hard. "The bitch cost me my job," he replied. It turned out that his assault of Sam in the holding cell had indeed been captured on video tape. As a result, he'd been fired. He even had to do a year of jail time himself. Missy smiled. "Isn't that just like her?" she asked angrily. "I mean, she ruined my friendship with my best friend Carly," Missy ranted.

"Just out of curiosity, what did you do?" Missy pressed. John answered, "Well, I _was_ a police officer. How do you think I was able to get you out?" There was a slight tinge of sarcasm in his tone. Missy began weighing the advantages of this new partnership. On one hand, John appeared more useful than Nevel ever was. Speaking of, he was another who'd made her list. They had seen each other once in the King County Jail House. The interaction was not pleasant by any means. As a form of revenge for her leaving him, he cut a deal with the prosecutor. He would recieve life in prison with the chance of parole in fifteen years in exchange for his testimony against Missy. Poetically, she'd been looking at the possibility of the death penalty, just like Sam had.

There was the added advantage of having a former police officer as an accomplice. He knew the ins and outs of the system. He also knew the tactics that would be used to capture them. "So do you have anything in mind?" he asked. Missy shook her head. It was too soon. There was one thing she knew for certain. "Her friends are her weak link," Missy explained. Especially Melanie. She was more than a friend. She was Sam's sister. John nodded. "Well, they don't know about me. I can check around Seattle while you do all the planning." Missy liked this idea.

Carly re-read the letter again. Sam was out job hunting at the moment, and Carly didn't expect her home for a while. It saddened her greatly as she read what almost were Sam's last written words for the upteenth time. "_To Carly Shay, thanks for putting up with my crap over the years. I know I was never easy to deal with, and I gave you more than enough headaches due to my treatment of our good friend Freddie Benson, but somehow we made it through. I am remembering that stupid fight we got in helping Fleck and Dave, and I sincerly apologize for ever starting it to begin with. You mean more to me than most of my own family, and I will miss you the most after I am executed. No one has been more like a sister to me than you, not even my twin sister Melanie. Make sure Spencer and Freddie are taken care of after I am gone, and under no circumstances are you to attend my execution."_

She was lost in the moment, and didn't notice Sam come through the door. "What'cha reading?" Sam asked. Carly nearly hit the ceiling. It was as though she'd been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She tried to lie her way out of it. "I wasn't reading anything," she said. Sam noticed the mix of fear and uncertainty in her tone. She also noticed Carly was hiding her hands behind her back. "Really?" Sam pressed. "Then how come you're hiding your hands behind your back?" she asked. Carly knew she was caught. She hesitantly showed her hands.

"Is that the letter I wrote in prison?" Sam asked. It was slightly wrinkled, but Sam still recognized it. Carly hesitated, trying to find words. Sam looked at her expectantly. "It's just, I'm worried about you. You haven't talked much about you went through. We're here to help, you know?" Sam took it in. She'd been trying to put this off. "Carls, there's a reason I haven't talked about my prison experience. Believe me when I say that you don't want to know any more about it than you already do."

Carly nodded. "Was it really that bad?" she asked. Sam's face hardened. "You try being sentenced to death, and then wait for two years to almost get there, and literally be saved at the absolute last minute." Carly couldn't handle this. Sam saw the tears forming, and instantly regretted what she'd just said. "Carls, I'm sorry," she pleaded. It was too late. Carly left the apartment, slamming the door in her wake. Sam burst into quiet tears herself. This was exactly what she'd tried to avoid. She had no idea how she was going to fix it. With the wedding looming, it was too much.


	4. Wedding Plans

**Ch.4 Wedding Plans**

The Shay apartment was deathly quiet, with the exception of Sam's quiet sobbing. She refused to look at the letter she'd written, which was still crumbled on the floor in plain sight. Carly had been gone for over a half an hour now. Sam realized in her heart Carly was right. Maybe if she talked about it, she could finally move on. She had more good in her life since she'd been released than she ever had before. She had a loving fiancee in Freddie, not to mention the nicest sisters she could have asked for in Carly and Melanie. She stopped crying as Carly returned.

Their eyes met. Both still had fresh tears rolling. "Carly," Sam began. Her voice was softer than before. "Sam," Carly replied. Sam pulled up two chairs. "If you want to know what I went through, you better sit down, cause it's gonna take a while." Carly didn't quite know how to react to this. She figured she'd respect Sam's wishes and drop it, but Sam seemed willing to tell. The least she could do was listen. "Ok, you know the basics, the constant restraint and all that," Sam began slowly. Carly nodded silently. She had visited her, after all.

"What you probably don't know was Valerie had an aunt. Carly nodded. "She just happened to be a prison guard, and she was angry at me because of Valerie's death." Carly had a feeling where this was going. "Did she do anything?" she questioned. Sam nodded. "The day she introduced herself, she told me she was going to personally strap me to the deathbed," Sam said. Carly couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Oh my god, did you tell anyone?" Sam shook her head no. "Who would've believed me? The warden told her to watch her step, but she always did it when it was just me and her." Carly put a hand to her mouth.

"That's not all," Sam said. "Do you remember Missy and Nevel kidnapping you?" Carly shuddered. "Of course. I still have nightmares where I'm standing on that platform," Carly replied. Sam paused briefly. This was not easy for her. "Did she tell you why she kidnapped you?" Carly shook her head no. "She intended to blackmail me. Apparently, Freddie getting close inspired her. She told me if I didn't use my last words to confess, you would die." Carly was shocked. "She was lying," she deadpanned. Sam's expression was one of confusion.

"What do you mean?" Sam asked. Now it was Carly's turn to tell a secret. "She told me that after your execution, I would join you in the afterlife." Sam's face contorted in silent rage. "You mean?" she let it drop. "That lying bitch!" Sam wished she could track Missy down and beat the crap out of her. She made a mental note that if Missy was sentenced to death, Sam would have a front row seat. She was sure the warden of Gig Harbor would arrange it. "Look, I'm sorry I prodded you. Can we forget about the fight?" Carly stood with her arms outstreched. Sam wasted no time hugging her. "What fight?" she asked with a laugh.

It was at that moment that Freddie entered. He stared at the scene before him silently. Carly was the first to see him. "What's up, Freddie?" she asked, wiping the tears from her eyes. Freddie was confused. "Did something happen? You two look like you've been crying." Sam turned to face him. "It's nothing," she said. Freddie kissed his future wife. "Fine by me. I came to tell you I found the perfect church for our wedding," he said happily. Sam smiled. "Ok," she said. She looked at Carly. "I guess my Maid of Honor and I had better pick out a wedding dress then!" she exclaimed happily.

Carly could hardly contain her excitement. "Are you serious?" she asked. Sam smiled. "Dead," she replied. Carly eyed Freddie. "You have to help too," she said. Freddie backed up, holding his hands up in fear. "Oh, no, this is strictly your thing," he said hesitantly. "Besides, it's bad luck for the groom to see the bride in her dress before the wedding day," Freddie said with a smile. Sam pulled Carly back. "He's right. You're off the hook, Freddie." Freddie let out a whoop of joy. He quickly exited, leaving the girls alone.

Melanie Puckett stood in a bridal shop with Jocelyn. As bridesmaids, they were helping shoulder Carly's load by looking at bridesmaid's dresses. Sam would have the final say, of course. They figured they would help by taking pictures of various dresses. Jocelyn was currently wearing a beautiful emerald green number. As she stepped out, Melanie's jaw dropped. "Oh my god," she exclaimed as she took a photo with her camera. Jocelyn smiled. "It's pretty," she said with a laugh. The dress featured a rose design embroidered in the right shoulder.

"You get to model the pink one," Jocelyn said. Melanie smiled. Jocelyn refused to wear that color, and had expressed her hope that Sam did not pick a pink bridesmaid's dress. "Ok, fine," Melanie said. As she grabbed the garment in question, she handed Jocelyn the camera. Unbeknownst to the two of them, they were being watched. John Peters stood quietly out of sight as he observed the two girls. He was told that Melanie looked exactly like Sam, and this girl didn't have Sam's attitude. He waited for the right moment, when the larger girl was gone.

Freddie had run into Spencer on his way to the Groovie Smoothie. "Hey Freddo, what's happening?" he asked. Freddie smiled. "If you're heading home, I advise against it," Freddie replied. Spencer paused. "What's going on?" he asked. Freddie laughed. "Carly and Sam are looking at wedding dresses," he said slyly. Spencer considered his options. "You're right, I think I'll hang with you," he said quickly. Freddie was glad to have the company. "Look Spence, can I ask you something?" There was a slight tinge of nervousness in his voice.

"What's up?" Spencer asked. Freddie hesitated. "Well, as you know, I'm an only child," Freddie began slowly. "It would mean a lot-" he paused. "Would you mind?" he didn't finish the question. "You want me to be your Best Man?" Spencer asked. Freddie breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes," he said. Spencer smiled. "I'd be honored," he said happily. The two hugged, then briefly parted, making sure no one saw them. "So you want to get a smoothie?" Spencer asked. Freddie laughed. "You buying?" he replied. Spencer nodded. "Let's do it then," Freddie replied.

Jocelyn disappeared into the dressing room with another dress. As Melanie stood waiting, she was tapped on the shoulder. "Excuse me, is your name Melanie Puckett?" John Peters wore his former uniform. He was sure the Pucketts did not know of his dismissal. She nodded yes slowly. "I need you to come with me for questioning," he said. There was an air of authority in his voice. "Can we wait for my friend?" Melanie asked slowly. John shook his head no. "Miss, you need to come now." He put his hand on her arm. Something wasn't right. Melanie was beginning to think he wasn't a cop. The cold look in his eyes confirmed it. "Joce-" she was cut off by a hand over her mouth.

"If you scream, it will be the last sound you ever make," Peters threatened. He put a gun to her back that was concealed from any onlookers. "Now move," he ordered. Melanie reluctantly complied. No one asked any questions as the two exited the store. "Do you think this dress is-" Jocelyn realized Melanie was gone. This wasn't happening. She eyed the ground. Melanie had been wearing a purple headband. It now lay on the ground. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed Sam's number.


	5. The Missing Puckett

**Ch.5 The Missing Puckett**

Melanie Puckett stumbled as she was pushed forward. Her captor had led her to a back alley where he had parked his car. "Who are you?" she asked fearfully. "What do you want?" Peters smiled grimly as he pushed a button on his keychain. "I'm an... old friend of your sister's," he replied. There was a certain darkness in his tone. Melanie gulped as the trunk of the car opened. "I doubt you were ever Sam's friend," Melanie shot back.

"Oh trust me, when she hears we have you, she'll remember us," Peters said with a laugh that did not sound at all funny. Melanie noted his emphasis on the word us. That meant there was more than one person. "Now get in the trunk," Peters ordered, breaking Melanie from her thoughts. She hesitated for a moment, which seemed to make her captor impatient. "Now, please," he demanded. "I'd hate to have to shoot you." Melanie reluctantly eased herself into the former police officer's trunk. "That was easier than I thought," he said as he closed the trunk, leaving Melanie in darkness.

Sam and Carly had been hard at work for almost an hour. Carly had quite the collection of bridal magazines. "I like this one," Sam commented. The picture showed a white full length gown. There were ornate embroidery patterns in black on the breasts and the skirt. Carly glanced at the price. "Oooh, it's a little expensive," she said. Sam laughed. "That's no problem. Remember, the court ordered that I get $500,000 for being wrongfully imprisoned," she reminded her best friend. Carly laughed. "Oh, yeah. Well, it's not too bad, it's only $25,000."

The girls were distracted from their reverie by Sam's phone ringing. With a smile, Sam answered. As suddenly as she did, the smile left her face. "When did this happen?" she asked. Carly eyed her suspiciously. Something was up. "Ok, slow down. Come to Carly's apartment and tell me in person." There was a brief pause. "Yes, I'm calling Freddie now. Bye." With that she hung up. She sent Carly a meaningful look. "What's happened?" Carly asked.

As Sam went to dial up Freddie, she replied "Melanie's been kidnapped." Carly's expression went from one of concern to one of shock. "When?" she asked. Sam shook her head. "I don't know. Jocelyn said she was with her five minutes ago, then she just vanished." Carly thought for a second. "You don't think?" she let it drop. Sam realized what she was inferring. "I don't think so, she's in jail. But if she did, the death penalty won't be anything compared to what I'm gonna do to her."

Melanie squirmed in the confines of John Peters' trunk. She had been in there for at least forty-five minutes, and the cramped space was begining to disagree with her body. She had been searching for a release lever, but she couldn't find one. She was effectively trapped. As she tried to get somewhat comfortable, she felt the car come to a stop.

Peters popped the lid, and dragged her out by her hair. "Ow!" she yelled as her feet hit the ground. "Oh, get over it. We could do worse to you." Melanie recognized the voice instantly. It was one that had been in her nightmares for two years now. She turned to face Missy, a look of fear etched on her face. "What do you want?" she asked fearfully. Missy smirked. "What else? The very slow and painful death of your sister. Congratulations. You've just become a way to achieve that goal."

Freddie and Spencer rushed back to Carly's apartment as soon as they got the call. As they entered the house, Sam looked like she was about to do something stupid. "Look, I'm sorry," Jocelyn said. Sam turned to face her. "Don't you dare blame yourself," she barked. There was a fire in her eyes the likes of which had never been seen before. "Whoever did this must want to commit suicide," Sam continued. "I won't let them off that easily."

Just as she said this, Freddie's mom burst into the apartment. "You guys need to turn on the news," she said. There was an edge of worry in her voice. Carly was quick to grab the remote. "This is Lisa Thompson, Channel 3 news. We have just recieved word that Melissa Robinson escaped police custody earlier today. As most of Seattle knows, she is one of the murderers in the Ridgeway Double Murders. Miss Robinson was returning to the King County jail house from her bail hearing. The two officers who were escorting her are currently in the hospital. Both have concussions."

Everybody's jaw hit the floor. Nobody could believe what they'd just heard. Carly was the first to speak. "This can't be happening," she said sadly. She couldn't believe she had once called Missy her friend. Jocelyn shot Sam a look. "I say we tag team this bitch," she said through gritted teeth. Sam smiled back. "Seconded," she replied. Freddie tried to be the voice of reason. "Look, we know she probably had a hand in it."

Sam barked impaitently, "What's your point?" Freddie hesitated. "Look, she's wanted. She wouldn't be able to show her face in an area as public as a mall. Which means-" Sam cut him off. "It means she had to have help." As soon as she said this, her phone rang. She answered quickly. "We need to talk, Sammy." Sam barely restrained herself. It was Missy.


	6. Ransom Demands

**Ch.6 Ransom Demands**

"We need to talk, Sammy." Missy's tone had a sense of confidence in it. Sam seemed at a loss at how to respond. Missy cut right to the chase. "By now, I'm guessing somebody's missing from your little group," she gloated. Sam banged the table in front of her with her fist. "What do you want?" she demanded. Missy could hardly contain her glee. "This is what, the second time in two years that your sister's been kidnapped? I'd be careful, if I were you. It's starting to become a very bad habit."

Sam's expression hardened. "You know, that wouldn't be a problem if it weren't for you," she shot back. The anger in her voice reverberated off the walls. Missy just laughed. "I assume you care about your sister, am I right? I mean, you wouldn't want anything bad to happen to her?" The tone in her voice suggested it was more of a statement than a question. Carly gasped as fresh tears began flowing down Sam's cheeks.

Missy seemed to relish the fact that Sam was at a loss. "Let me guess," she said, cutting into Sam's thoughts. "You want proof that she's unharmed." Sam opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. "I can arrange that," Missy said with a laugh. There was a brief pause. "Sam?" The voice on the other end was indeed Melanie. "I'm fine Sam." Her voice broke as she talked. "Has she hurt you?" Sam's voice finally found words. The silence was deafening. "She's fine, for now." Sam bit her lip. Missy was back.

"Of course, I can't guarantee that for long," Missy warned. The dry, yet cruel humor that was in her voice vanished. "Why?" Sam asked. "What could you possibly gain from this?" Missy snickered. "I want a simple exchange. You for her." Sam's face fell. "How can I trust you?" Sam asked. The anger in her voice was replaced by worry and sadness. Missy laughed. "What, you don't trust me?" she asked. Sam shook her head. "Why should I? You lied to me in prison when you said that you'd release Carly after I was executed. How do I know you're not lying now?"

For the first time in the conversation, Missy seemed at a loss of how to respond. "How?" she asked. Sam smiled grimly. "Carly told me," she answered. Sam heard a loud bang. No doubt Missy physically took her frustration out on something. Sam only hoped it wasn't Melanie. Regaining her composure, Missy replied, "I'm not lying now. You for Melanie. Tick tock." Sam couldn't breathe. She couldn't think. The once proud Sam Puckett was all but reduced to a sniveling child.

"Please," she begged. Her voice was breaking with every word. "I'll do anything that you ask. As long as you release my sister, I don't care what happens to me." The entire group was shocked at what they'd just heard. Carly couldn't take it anymore, and began crying on Freddie's shoulder. Missy smiled. This was the exact way she hoped Sam would respond. As far as she was concerned, the blonde was like putty in her hands. "I'll get back to you," Missy said. With that, she hung up. At the sound of a dial tone, Sam threw her phone.

Luckily, it landed on the couch in the Shay living room. For about five minutes, no one spoke. The only sound was Sam's silent sobbing as she tried to figure a way out of this. The harder she thought, the more she realized she had nothing. Missy had all the cards. The only way to ensure that Melanie didn't get hurt or worse was to play by her rules. "Look," Jocelyn said. She had pulled Sam outside to speak in private.

"We both know there's no way Missy's going to keep her word. Assuming you do whatever it is she wants you to, in the end, Melanie's just a loose end to her." Sam nodded. She knew this. "What else can I do?" she raged. "I can't protect her here, and I probably won't be able to protect her when I find her." She sighed. It was a sigh of defeat. Jocelyn looked straight into her eyes.

"It's simple. We know Missy's lying through her teeth. So the way I see it, turnabout is fair play." Sam seemed to light up at the prospect. "When she calls back, you are going to have to put on a show. Whatever she tells you to do, you tell her you'll do it." Jocelyn was like a military drill sergeant. Sam all but stood at attention. This pep talk of sorts was giving her her strength back.

"You're right," Sam said with a smile. "Missy's not just messing with me. She's messing with all of us." Jocelyn embraced her in a hug. "That's right," she said with a grin. "And I for one am ready to strike back." As the two went back inside, Sam's phone went off. That could only mean one thing. Jocelyn gave Sam a look of support. "Show time," she said.

"Hello?" Sam asked. Her tone had the sound of defeat in it. In that, Missy reveled. "So, you'll do anything to save your sister, am I right?" It was more a statement than a direct question. Sam took a deep breath. "I'll do anything," she said. "Just release my sister unharmed."


	7. Missy's Revenge

**Ch.7 Missy's Revenge**

Sam shivered slightly. It was almost midnight, and it was cooler than normal. As she waited in the park her mind flashed back to her earlier conversation with Missy. _"You'll do anything will you? Let's see how well you follow directions." Sam felt her stomach drop. Carly and the others were contacting the police. They'd have no idea she'd left or where to look. Missy began swiftly. "On the corner of Trent and Beech there is a park. Do you know where it is?" Sam thought for a second. "I do," she replied. She cringed at Missy laughing. "Good. Be waiting by the swings at Midnight. Oh, and Sam, come alone. No tricks. If you can't follow these simple instructions, I'll kill Melanie. And I'll make you watch when I do." Sam heard Melanie's voice in the background. "Don't come, Sam!" She then heard a muffled scream of pain. "Don't hurt her!" Sam pleaded. With that, Missy hung up the phone._

It was eerily quiet as Sam waited for Missy to show up. She glanced at her watch. Five minutes till. "Where the hell is she?" Sam asked. As if in answer, a car pulled up and flashed it's lights. That was the signal she was told she'd see. She took a deep breath, then started toward the car. The driver stepped out gun drawn, and she squinted under the glare of the lights as she tried to see him. "That's close enough," a gruff voice said. Sam felt her heart miss a beat. "Officer Peters," she said dryly. He stepped forward, wearing a creepy smile. "Did you miss me?" he asked smugly. Sam scoffed. "I should have known it was you." She remembered he lost his job for assaulting her.

For his part, Peters got straight to business. "Put your hands where I can see them, Sam. You did come alone right?" Sam smiled grimly as she raised her arms. "I'm the only one here, aren't I?" she asked sarcastically. "Look, my friends don't even know I'm gone," she said sadly. Peters couldn't help but smile at this. He reached to his belt, and pulled a small hand-held metal detector. "Shit!" Sam swore silently. Her comment did not go unnoticed. "You didn't think we'd be that stupid did you?" As he passed it under her left arm, he heard a beep. "Well, well," he said as he reached into her vest pocket and removed the transmitter. "Melanie might have to suffer for this." Sam bit her lip as he placed the transmitter on the ground and stomped it with his boot. He swiftly checked her other arm and both legs, finding nothing else. With that done, he extracted a pair of handcuffs. "Put your hands behind your back, now," he ordered.

Carly couldn't stop pacing. "Where is she?" she asked. Spencer was trying to hold her in place, but Carly nearly ran him down. "I'm sure she just went for a late night snack," he said, trying to reassure her. It might have worked, if at that very moment Freddie and Jocelyn didn't come down the stairs. Carly couldn't help but notice the folded piece of paper in Freddie's hands. As she opened her mouth, Freddie cut her off. "You might want to read this. It's addressed to you, Carls," he said slowly. He slowly gave her the letter, and Carly opened it even slower. She read it for a minute, then cleared her throat. She began to read the letter out loud.

"Dear Carly, If you're reading this, then by now I've left to find Melanie. I'm taking her place as Missy's captive. Hopefully Missy will keep her word and release Mel unharmed. Don't try looking for me, I was told to come alone. More importantly, Missy's not after any of you. In case we never see each other again, I want you to know that you and Freddie are the best friends I could have ever hoped to have. I love you with all my heart and soul, and nothing Missy can do to me, not even killing me will ever change that. With all my love, Sam Puckett."

For five minutes no one spoke. The only sound in the entire apartment was Carly's silent crying. Freddie's expression was one of anger. He made no attempt to mask the rage he felt toward Missy Robinson at this very moment. As Carly looked down at the letter, her tears made contact with what was below the writing. Though smeared, Carly clearly saw the letters PS. "Wait, there's more!" she yelled. Her tone had changed from sadness to excitement.

"You guys didn't think I was gonna give up did you? I'm merely stringing Missy along till I can get my hands on her. I just got off the phone with her. There's a park on the corner of Trent and Beech. I'm supposed to meet her at the swings. I'll be leaving a care package for Freddie under the Merry-go-Round. I'm counting on you guys to track me down. I hope you get there in time for round 1. Love, Sam." Freddie couldn't stop himself from hugging Carly at that very moment. There was still a chance to save Sam.

Sam shifted as much as she could in Peter's car. With her hands handcuffed behind her back, she was very uncomfortable. Every time the car hit a bump in the road, pain exploded through her arms. She had just managed to turn to her side when she felt the car come to a stop. She the car door open and close, then she heard muffled voices. Missy's face wore an evil smile. "Is Sam with you?" she asked. Peters nodded. "She's in the trunk," he replied. "Help me get the bags," he said as he opened the door to the back seat. Missy sighed, but pulled out a brown paper bag. "This is the stuff?" she asked carefully. Peters nodded.

"Yeah, and don't drop it. We won't be able to get more." He grunted as he shouldered a duffel bag. Melanie could only look on fearfully as she sat tied to a chair. Duct tape covered her mouth, but there was a slight trickle of blood running down her chin. As Peters began emptying the contents of his bag, Melanie's eyes widened. The first thing he pulled out of the bag was five sticks of dynamite 'Oh no,' she thought. They were going to make a bomb.

He pulled a medium-sized vest that had several straps in front of it, and advanced on Melanie. She cowered as he got closer, especially when he reached into his pocket and pulled a switchblade. Her eyes glistened with tears, and beads of perspiration made their way down her forehead. As he got closer, he looked her right in the eyes. "Listen, girl. I'm going to cut you loose. Then, you're going to stand still while I put this vest on you. Any funny business, and I'll shoot you right between the eyes. Do you understand?" Melanie fearfully shook her head yes. With no further delay, he cut her bonds. He jerked her out of the chair, and Melanie made a muffled grunt of pain as he did so. He didn't remove the duct tape, and he swatted her hand away as she tried to take it off herself. "Ahh ahh, that stays on for now, Princess," he said with a laugh.

Carly stood lookout as Freddie and Jocelyn retrieved the package. As Freddie opened the box, a smile came to his face. "Oh, Sam," he said with a laugh. "What?" Jocelyn asked. "All this stuff is from my room," he explained. It didn't surprise him. Sam always did take things without asking. "What's in the box?" Carly asked as they made their way home. "Tracking equipment, mostly," Freddie answered. Sam's plan was as clear as day in Freddie's head. As they passed the swings, Jocelyn noticed something. "Hold up. Look at this." She reached down and retrieved the broken transmitter. The color drained from all three of their faces. "This isn't good," Freddie said.

After what felt like an eternity, the lid of the trunk finally popped open. Sam made no attempt to resist as Peters pulled her roughly from the car. The first thing she saw was Missy, shaking her head. "Tsk, tsk. John told me you had a tracking device on you. Now Sam, that's not following the rules." Sam stood her ground. She looked right into Missy's green eyes and asked one simple question. "Where's Melanie?" Missy shrugged her shoulder. "I'm right behind you, Sam." Sam spun at the sound. Her jaw dropped at the sight before her.

Melanie had been placed back into her chair. Sam couldn't take her eyes away from what was attached to Melanie's chest. She wore the vest that had been pulled out of the duffel bag. The straps in the middle were loaded with one stick of dynamite each, five in total. They had turned Melanie into a human bomb. She whirled to face Missy. "Get that off of her! The deal was me for her! Let her go!" Missy shook her head no. "The deal was you for her provided you followed my instructions to the letter. You didn't." Sam couldn't believe it. Peters laughed from behind the chair Melanie was sitting in.

In his hand, he held a remote. That had to be the detonator. He stepped away from the chair, and continued walking backwards from it. "Let's try this again," Missy said. There was venom in her tone. "If you don't want your sister to be mopped off this floor, You'll do everything I tell you to." Melanie made eye contact with Sam at that moment, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, Sam," she said through her sobbing. Sam tried to send her sister a comforting look. "It's alright Mel. This is not your fault."

"First things first," Missy cut in, breaking the sisterly moment. Peters uncuffed Sam, and Missy shoved a brown paper bag into her arms. "Put what's in that on," Missy ordered. Sam slowly pulled the contents out of the bag, and found herself looking at something she never thought she'd see again. Her old prison jump suit. 85630 stared back at her, slightly faded from the first time she'd put it on. "What's the point of this?" she asked as she slowly put it on.

For her part, Missy laughed. "Justice in the Ridgeway Double Murders is about to be carried out," she said with a laugh. Sam glared at the red head. "Then you should be wearing this," she shot back. Missy seemed stunned for a moment. "I... I was only arraigned. My trial hasn't officially started yet." This much was true. Sam smiled grimly. "I'll be in the front row when it does," she said deliberately. Missy shook her head. "No, Sam. I'll be leaving for Mexico very soon, and you," she paused and looked to the middle of the room. Sam couldn't help but follow her gaze. Her heart nearly stopped at what she saw. "You'll be dead," Missy finished.

In the center of the room was a gurney, no doubt stolen from a hospital. Next to it were three . Behind that were three jars, each a different color. Each of the jars was clearly labeled. Sam could only remember one time she'd ever been this scared, and that was when the prison officials brought her into the death chamber at Gig Harbor. She was saved then by the Governor. There would be no such reprieve here.


	8. Saving Sam

**Ch.8 Saving Sam**

_"Justice in the Ridgeway Double Murders is about to be carried out." _The words rang heavily in Sam's head. As Missy stood behind her, smiling in victory, Sam couldn't take her eyes off the makeshift death bed. As she watched, Peters retrieved an extra set of handcuffs, and two pairs of leg irons. He knew he had an audience, and he took his time attaching the restraints to the bed. Neither Sam nor Melanie could take their eyes off the gurney as it was prepared. The remote was in his pocket, and although his back was turned, neither girl made a move. Sam found herself frozen in fear.

She couldn't move. She could hardly breathe. And she refused to make eye contact with Missy, who's gloating seemed to radiate in the entire room. A thousand thoughts were racing in Sam's head all at once. 'When will it happen? Will it hurt?' She suspected it would, as this was a makeshift attempt at best. Sam remembered how calculated everything was in the death chamber. Before she was strapped down, she'd glanced at the machine that handled the injections. Everything was so scientific, it was as though there could not possibly be any error. Missy's voice brought Sam back to reality once again.

"Oh, don't worry Sam. We're still a while off before the main event." Sam shuddered at that. It was as if Missy could sense her fear, and couldn't help milking every second of it. As Missy moved in front of her quarry, she smiled evily. "Come with me," she ordered, forcefully grabbing Sam's arm. Having no choice, Sam followed. She was led to a desk in the corner of the room. Missy wasted no time in directing Sam's attention to the objects on top of it. "We're gonna take this nice and slow," she gloated, and the lump in Sam's throat got bigger. "What's the point of this?" Sam asked, finding her voice.

"You'll see," Missy answered. Her voice was chipper, and not in a good way. Sam noticed two folded pieces of paper and one blank piece. Below them was a pen. Missy pulled up a chair, and roughly pulled Sam into it. "Pick up the first letter," she directed. Sam did so hesitantly. As soon as she unfolded it, she punched hard enough to put a small hole in the wood. "Is this really necessary?" she asked angrily. Missy didn't answer, she just smiled. "Come on, you've already won. You don't need to do this." At this, Missy latched her hands on Sam's hair and pulled back. "Listen, Puckett, and listen good. Melanie here is gonna be regrouped into several piles if you don't do everything I say. Now copy that!" She released Sam, who slowly picked up the pen that was provided for her. She began to write:

_Dear World,_

_ My name is Samantha Puckett. I am writing this letter as confirmation of my guilt in the Ridgeway Double Murders. I was falsely set free, and now I am correcting that mistake. I accept all responsibility for my actions, and am well aware of my place in Hell. My sentence was death by lethal injection. So be it. My victims and their families deserve justice to be carried out. I can't live with what I've done any longer._

_Goodbye forever,_

_Samantha Puckett._

The suicide note written, Sam shakily began to put the pen down. "Not so fast, Sammy," Missy snapped. Wearing a pair of gloves that she'd put on while Sam was writing, she snatched the letter from the table and put it in an envelope that was addressed to the Seattle Police Department. Sam couldn't keep from crying anymore, and the tears flowed freely. Missy was not in a patient mood however, and wanted to move things along. She put the unfolded the second document and placed it on the table in front of Sam. Sam's jaw dropped as she read it.

_To all it may concern,_

_ This is my last will and testament. I, Samantha Joy Puckett, do hereby leave money in the amount of $500,000 to the party of one Melissa Robinson. All of my other possessions may be dispensed to Carly Shay at the earliest possible convienience._

Sam noticed several empty lines, and what had to be a lawyer's signature. As she looked closer, it was a lawyer she knew. Tim Shivers. "That son of a bitch!" she yelled. Missy laughed. "Lawyers are so easy to trick. I promised to pay him $100,000 if he'd sign that," she gloated. It was clear in her tone that the man had no idea what he was signing, nor what he was taking part in, however indirectly. "Sign here, please," she ordered. As soon as Sam did so, she yanked the pen out of her hand and advanced on Melanie. "We need a witness," she said cruelly. "Unless you'd perfer to blow up."

Carly, Freddie and Jocelyn finally got back to the apartment. As soon as they entered, their attention was brought to several police officers. "Are you Carly Shay?" one asked, pointing at Jocelyn. Carly raised her hand, as though she were at school. "That's me, officer," she said hesitantly. As she stepped forward to deal with the officers, Freddie suddenly smiled. It didn't go unnoticed by Spencer. "What could you possibly have to be happy about," he asked sadly. Freddie took a moment to compose himself.

"Do you know the barrette Sam was wearing in her hair?" Freddie asked. The entire group nodded. "I bought that for her two days ago," he explained. "As soon as I saw the news report, I put a tracer in it. She hasn't taken it out of her hair since." Carly was suddenly an unstoppable force. She nearly barreled over two very large police officers just to engulf Freddie in a bone crunching hug. "Freddie, oh my God, you're a genius!" She couldn't stop heaping praises as she squeezed. Panting, he replied, "The genius needs to breathe!" Carly finally let go, and Freddie began gulping fresh oxygen. "Well, hurry up and track," Jocelyn urged.

The air in the warehouse seemed to reverberate Missy's twisted sense of happiness. Sam and Melanie couldn't make eye contact with each other. There just seemed to be no way out of this. According to Sam's plan, Freddie and Carly should have been bursting in with the cavalry by now. Due to the tracking device being destroyed, there was no chance of that happening. "I think we've prolonged this long enough, don't you Sammy?" Missy asked mockingly. Sam made no attempt to answer her. There was no sarcastic comment, no snappy comeback. She felt utterly defeated, and Missy knew it.

"Now, if you please, get on the gurney," Missy ordered. Sam made no attempt to resist as Missy led her to the deathbed. Melanie watched fearfully as Missy chained her twin sister to the gurney, and could stand back no longer. "Don't do it, Sam!" she yelled. But too little, too late. Sam's arms were now shackled to the bed. "Fight Sam!" Melanie encouraged. Peters, for his part, attempted to shut her up. "Be quiet, girl!" he shouted as he backhanded Melanie. The force of the blow sent her to the ground, unconscious.

"Mel!" Sam yelled. Her will to resist had finally reasserted itself. She began kicking at Missy with her feet, doing all she could to avoid being fully restrained. "Peters, get the hell over here and help me chain this bitch!" Missy ordered. As he moved to assist, he took his eyes off of Melanie, who slowly began to stir. He forcefully grabbed one leg, giving Missy the opportunity to secure the other. He forced the leg iron closed, then stepped back.

There would be no ceremonial words. Missy grabbed a needle and jabbed it forcefully into Sam's arm. Sam screamed in pain. Peters had filled it with the tranquilser that in theory, would put her to sleep. She began pushing the plunger, and Sam soon after felt the drug coursing through her system. Her eyes began to get heavy, and the last thing she saw before they closed was Melanie attempt to strike Peters from behind.

It was a futile attempt. He merely shrugged off the blow. As Missy began preparing the second injection, Peters pulled the remote from his pocket. Melanie had forgot her fear. Realizing she had an advantage, she got as close to him as she could. "If you press that button, you'll die too!" she warned. Her expression hardened. "I'll make sure of it!" He shoved her and got clear, and sent her a grim smile as his finger moved for the button.

"MISSY ROBINSON! JOHN PETERS! THIS IS THE SEATTLE POLICE DEPARTMENT! YOU ARE SURROUNDED!" Hearing this, Missy put the syringe down and raised her hands. She knew there was no way out. Peters did not follow her example. He yelled back to the police, "If anyone comes in, I'll kill the girl!" He waved the remote, a huge mistake. Seattle's finest responded in kind. "Designated marksman, open fire!"

One sniper's bullet hit him in the shoulder, another's blew out his knee, and he crumpled like an accordian. The detonator to Melanie's bomb clattered to the ground. Missy raised her hands in surrender as the police entered the building. Carly and Freddie were at their heels. As Freddie attempted to help his future wife, Carly confronted her former friend. "You bitch!" she yelled as she punched Missy in the face. If Sam were awake, she would have been proud, for Carly knocked a tooth out.

Freddie, meanwhile, was becoming increasingly worried. "Sam, come on, baby! Wake up!" he pleaded. He looked around. "We need an ambulance!" he yelled to the police. One nodded, and the call was made. Melanie had finally pulled herself off the ground, and stood still as the bomb squad removed her bomb. "Are you ok?" Freddie asked slowly. There were fresh tears in his eyes. Melanie thought about hugging him, but remembered something important.

She swiftly walked to the desk. She picked up the will and tore it to pieces. She handed Sam's forced suicide note to one of the police officers. "They forced her to write this," she said sadly. The officer nodded. It would be integral evidence in court. "Sam's breathing is slowing," a paramedic indicated. "Go with her," Carly commanded, sending a knowing look at Freddie. "We'll meet you at the hospital." Freddie wasted no time in getting in the ambulance.


	9. The End of a Nightmare

**Ch.9 The End of a Nightmare**

The ambulance ride seemed to take longer than it did. Freddie's face contorted as he attempted to sort out the thoughts in his head. Fear, sadness, and finally blind anger were all present at once, and it was overwhelming to figure out which he was feeling the most. Here was Sam Puckett, the Blonde-haired Demon. A girl who had, up until two years ago, picked on him mercilessly. A girl he had not realized until now how much he loved. He clutched her hand, willing her to wake up. To come out of this alive and in one piece.

As he looked over her face he couldn't help but notice a sense of calm. Sam seemed almost peaceful. In normal circumstances, he would be content to leave it be. But then he remembered that the reason she looked so peaceful was not due to a natural sleep. He glanced at her arm, where Missy had jabbed her with the needle. There was a large crimson circle under the bandage that the paramedics had applied. He remembered that the paramedics were worried about her bleeding to death, the wound was so bad. As he stared at it, rage stirred inside him. He would not rest until Missy Robinson had paid for her crimes, and paid dearly.

"We're here," the driver announced. Freddie slowly exited the ambulance and waited as they wheeled Sam out. He was stopped as he moved to follow them into the emergency room. "I'm sorry, sir, but you can't go in there," a security guard said. Freddie, for his part, was past the point of caring. He tried to push by to no avail. "You don't understand, she's my fiancee," he pleaded. The guard placed a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "I understand better than you know," he said. There was no a tinge of sadness in his voice. "Look, I really don't want to have you removed, and I'm sure that the first person she's gonna want to see when she comes out is you. If you care for her as much as I think you do, go to the waiting room."

Freddie relented, realizing the guard had a good point. It was hopeless trying to force by him anyway, as the guard was slightly larger than Freddie. As he made his way to Grace Hospital's waiting room, he was greeted by Carly. They wasted no time in embracing in a much needed hug. He noticed that Melanie was missing. "Where's Melanie?" he asked hurriedly. Carly smiled. "She's getting checked out," Carly explained. Freddie remembered she looked a little worse for wear. Before he could inquire further, the girl in question made her way to the waiting room.

She limped slightly from her struggle with Peters, and Freddie noticed a cut on her lip. "I'll be fine," she said as Freddie tried to speak. Freddie looked at his soon to be sister-in-law. She looked so much like Sam, yet she was so different. Where Sam's personality was sometimes aggressive, her's was more easy going. Even so, Freddie could tell from looking at her that she had Sam's determination. It seemed to be a quality that both the Puckett sisters possessed.

"Sorry we're late," Spencer said without warning. Everyone looked up to see Spencer, Jocelyn and Mrs. Benson. "Traffic was horrible," Jocelyn said with a laugh. She took in the scene before her, and her tough exterior cracked. Tears began flowing freely as she looked at Melanie. "I'm so sorry," she said. She fell to her knees before Melanie, her head bowed. "If I had been there, they never would have taken you." Melanie placed a comforting hand on Jocelyn's shoulder. As intimidating as she was, Melanie knew better. She remembered feeling Peters' gun against her back.

"If you had been there, he would have got you too, or killed you, and this would have ended differently," she said very slowly. Jocelyn finally drew up the courage to look Melanie in the eyes. The sight of her slightly bruised and bleeding face made her think she'd failed. And not just failed Melanie, but failed Sam. She remembered that visit she'd made in prison at Carly's behest, where she'd personally assured Sam that her friends and sister were under her protection from that moment on. She had no idea how to face Sam _if _she came out okay.

"The way I see it, it's good that you weren't there," Melanie said. Jocelyn looked confused. "How? Why?" she studdered. "Who was it that warned Sam I'd been taken, even before Missy called?" Melanie questioned. Jocelyn hesitated. "It was you," Carly answered for her. Melanie nodded. "She's right you know," Carly continued. "We owe you more than we can ever repay," Melanie said with a smile. Jocelyn realized this was true except for one thing. "You owe me nothing," she said. The three girls embraced in a hug as Freddie and Spencer looked on. "It's a Kodak moment," Freddie quiped.

As the group hug drew to an end, a doctor approached the group. "My name is Dr. Tanya Stevenson," she introduced. Spencer stepped forward and shook hands with her. "What news do you have, doctor?" Mrs. Benson questioned. "Well, it was close," the doctor replied. "Whoever injected her obviously didn't know how to give an injection. They jabbed her so hard that the needle broke off the syringe," she explained. Carly gasped, and Spencer put a hand to his mouth in shock and fear.

"I'm to understand that this was an attempted lethal injection?" the doctor inquired. "That's correct, doctor," Melanie answered. The memory of what Sam went through was still fresh in her mind, and Melanie suspected that she'd have several nightmares about it in the near future. "Well, the good news is that the needle breaking probably saved Sam's life," she said. "Wait, how is that good?" Freddie asked. Dr. Stevenson answered, "It's good because she didn't recieve the full dose." Everyone present breathed a huge sigh of relief. "We ran a Tox-Screen," the doctor continued. "They used Sodium Thiopental, which is a drug we use to induce anesthesia for surgery," she explained.

"Now for the bad news," the doctor continued. Time seemed to stop. "Now, while she didn't recieve a fatal dose, she'll be unconscious until the drug's effects cease. We only picked up 2.5 grams in her system, so it could be anywhere from one to twelve hours before she wakes up." Carly took the news in. "We'll be here as long as it takes," she declared. The entire group nodded. "We also removed the needle from her arm," Dr. Stevenson said. "Thank you doctor," Spencer said. She nodded and took her leave.

Time seemed to pass slowly as the Puckett party waited. Melanie had went to get a soda from the vending machine when she was greeted by a sight she never thought she'd see. Standing at the receptionist desk, impatiently ringing the bell, was Jane Puckett. "Mom?" Melanie said, startling her. There was a tense moment of silence as mother and daughter locked eyes. "Melanie?" Mrs. Puckett asked, breaking the ice. Melanie didn't answer right away. After another moment of silence, Mrs. Puckett looked down. "I guess I deserved that," she said. Melanie imagined how difficult this was for her mother. In point of fact, it wasn't easy for her either.

"So, why are you here?" Melanie asked softly. Mrs. Puckett's expression fell. "I heard about Sam on the news," she said. Her voice was at the point of breaking. "I wanted to know if she's okay, and to beg for her forgiveness." Melanie absorbed the information. "So suddenly, we're not disowned anymore?" she asked. There was a slight tinge of anger in her voice. Mrs. Puckett looked confused. Melanie clarified. "Remember, mom? You said that if I left with Sam and not you, that I was disowned too?" It was quite a barb, but Melanie suspected that it was nothing compared to what Sam would say.

For her part, Mrs. Puckett nearly broke down. "I'm so sorry," she said. Her eyes were begining to glisten. She forced the tears back, and took in Melanie's appearance. "What happened to your lip?" she asked. Melanie stifled a laugh. "Well let's see," she said. Her voice was a mix of anger and sadness. "I was kidnapped, beaten, and made into a human bomb so that some psychos could try to kill my sister, _your _daughter," she said. Mrs. Puckett tried to hug her daughter. Melanie resisted at first, but relented.

She was a truly kind person at heart, and she realized that her mother was at least trying to make things right. "Mom, I forgive you, but I can't speak for Sam. That's something you have to take up with her." Mrs. Puckett felt happy tears rolling down her cheeks. "That's gonna be ugly," she said. They were cut off by Carly's sudden appearance. "Mel, I've been looking all over for you-" she couldn't believe what she was seeing. "Mrs. Puckett?" she asked in disbelief.

"Hi, Carly," the older woman she said. She tried to plaster a smile on her face, but Carly was not buying it. Part of her was still unbelievably mad at how Mrs. Puckett had treated Sam. "I didn't expect I'd see you here," Carly said pointedly. Mrs. Puckett nodded. "For what it's worth, tell Sam I'm sorry for everything," she replied. Carly looked her over for a moment, considering her words. "You can tell her yourself," she said finally. "That's what I came to tell Melanie. "Sam's finally awake."

Melanie suddenly forgot her sadness. "Well I should go," Mrs. Puckett said sadly. Carly thought this was a good idea, though she didn't say it. She stopped her on her way out. "Look, if you want to make it right, try talking to Sam," she said. Mrs. Puckett left without a word. "What are we waiting for?" Melanie asked. "Let's go see Sam." The two wasted no time leaving to do just that.


	10. Mrs Sam Benson

**Ch.10 Mrs. Sam Benson**

After what seemed to be an eternity, Sam finally stirred. She blinked a few times. "Uhh," she said groggily. The sound of her voice immediately woke a sleeping Freddie, who was keeping vigil next to her bed. "Freddie?" she asked shakily. As their eyes met, fresh tears began falling. "Please tell me this isn't a dream," he said. Sam coughed a bit. "If it is, then why do I feel like complete crap?" she asked with a smile. Freddie bolted out of his seat. "Carly, Spencer, everyone, Sam's awake!" he yelled.

Carly came running into the room at his call. "Sam!" she yelled. The fear and worry disappeared as she ran to Sam's bedside. Spencer and Mrs. Benson quietly watched at the door, smiles growing on both their faces. Sam sputtered as Sam gave her a bearhug. "Uh, Carls, I need to breathe," she said between coughs. Carly pulled back, not wanting to cause Sam more pain. "I'll go get Melanie," she said. As she left the room, she gave Spencer and Mrs. Benson a very serious look. The two took the hint and gave Freddie and Sam some much needed privacy.

As soon as the two were alone, the kissing began. "I never thought I'd see you again," Freddie said, his voice wavering between happiness and sorrow. Sam hugged him closely. "Neither did I," she replied. After five minutes of nothing but kissing, the two finally took a break. "So, first things first," she said, trying to get out of bed. Her body wasn't going for it, though and she lay back. "What happened to Missy?" she asked. The tension in her voice cut the air like butter.

"The police have her," Freddie answered with a smile. "What about her partner?" Sam asked. Freddie suppressed a laugh. "He's in custody too," he said. Sam took the news in. The last thing she remembered, Peters had thrown Melanie to the ground and was about to press the button. "What happened?" she asked. Freddie took her hand in his. "Swat stormed the warehouse. Peters waved a detonator at them, and they shot him twice," he said. Sam never thought she'd hear better news. "What about Melanie?" she asked. Freddie kissed her ever so slightly on the cheek. He saw Carly approaching.

"See for yourself," he replied as the girl in question entered the room. "Sam, you're okay," Melanie said as she rushed to her sister's side. Sam took in her sister's appearance. "Are you ok?" she asked. Melanie nodded. "I've been better," she replied. Turning to Freddie, Sam asked, "Wait a minute, how did you find me? Peters smashed the tracking device I had on me." Freddie removed the barrette that was in her hair. As Sam looked at it, she noticed it was flashing. "You sly fox," she said.

"I wasn't gonna lose you that easily," he said. Melanie decided to keep the fact that their mom tried to visit to herself for the time being. A few days later, and Sam was released from the hospital. As she strode out the door, she turned to her friends and said, "I hope I never have to come here again." The entire group laughed at that. Sam locked eyes with Jocelyn, who was waiting by the car. Before she could speak, Sam embraced her in a hug. "It's ok," she whispered.

"I'm so sorry," Jocelyn replied. Sam looked at her sternly. "What did I tell you about blaming yourself?" she asked. Jocelyn looked at the ground. "Not to," she replied. Sam put an arm around her. "Good, then don't do it," she said with a smile. The group left the hospital quickly. There was much to be done.

Freddie nervously paced in the room. He looked absolutely stunning in his tuxedo. "Spence, I don't think I've ever been more nervous." Spencer put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's natural," he said with a smile. Elsewhere in the church, Sam and Carly were having the same debate. "What if he doesn't like my dress?" Sam asked worriedly. Carly grasped her shoulders, stopping her from pacing. "Will you stop already? He's gonna love your dress." The girls were startled by a knock at the door. "It's time," Melanie said on the other side.

The audience waited expectantly. Freddie slowly walked down the isle, adjusting the rose in his tux as he did so. As he reached the altar, Spencer smiled. "You're gonna do fine," he whispered. Freddie turned to the face the audience. The moment of truth had arrived.

As the wedding march began, Sam began her walk down the isle. Freddie's jaw dropped. She looked absolutely stunning in her wedding dress. The bridesmaids were beautiful as well. Standing to the priest's right was Carly. She looked at Sam and sent her friend a thumbs up. Sam nervously smiled as she reached the altar, and turned to face her future husband. The priest began the ceremony. "We are gathered to here today, to join Samantha and Freddie in holy matrimony," he began.

"I'm sorry father, I prefer to be called Sam," she said softly. He nodded. "Forgive me," he said. "If there is anyone among us who can show just cause why these two should not be wed, please speak now, or forever hold their peace." The audience got quiet. Sam smiled. "Do you have the rings?" the priest asked. Spencer handed Freddie and Sam their wedding rings. "Freddie, do you promise to love Sam, to honor her, to hold her, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, until death do you part?"

Freddie took a deep breath as he slid the ring on her finger. "I do," he replied. "And Sam, to you promise to love Freddie, to honor him, to hold him, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, until death do you part?" Wiping a tear from her eye, Sam slid the ring on Freddie's finger. "I do," she said. The priest nodded. "By the power vested in me by the Holy Father, and the State of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He looked at the two knowingly.

"You may kiss the bride." Freddie lifted her veil, and was overwhelmed in joy. Never in all his life had he ever seen a more beautiful bride. The two kissed, as the audience went up in celebration. As Sam and Freddie looked out at their family and friends, they silently reflected upon everything that had happened. And two people in particular, Gibby and Valerie, who were surely looking down from above.


	11. Justice Served,Epilouge

**Ch.11 Justice served/Epilouge**

4 months later

Never in all of Seattle had the trial of a suspected murderer reached a faster conclusion. The case caused a large public outcry. Many demanded Missy recieve the death sentence, not just for the murders of Gibby and Valerie, but for the elaborate and effective way Missy had set Sam up to take the fall. A handwriting analyist was called in to go over the letters that had been deposited in Sam's locker and bedroom, letters that were integral to Sam's original conviction.

It was quickly determined, after a sample of Sam's own handwriting to compare them to, that Sam had never written the letters. When compared to the copy of the suicide note that Missy forced Sam to write, it was found that the samples were similar. There was no doubt in anyone's mind that Missy had written them. True to her word, Sam and her friends had front row seats at the trial. Today was important. It was a day Missy dreaded. Sam remembered the feeling with little sympathy.

It was time for the verdict. "Has the jury reached a verdict?" the judge asked. The foreman practically jumped out of his seat. "We have your honor." He practically spat the words, causing Missy to shrink in her seat. The silence was deafening. "Will the defendant please rise," the judge said after a few seconds of tense silence. Missy hesitantly stood, and the foreman delivered his verdict. "Your honor, we find the defendant, Melissa Robinson, guilty of all charges." Missy nearly broke down. She turned to look directly at Sam, and now it was her turn to wear a look of defeat. Sam was particularly satisfied at this. The rest of the audience, with the exception of the Puckett party, went up in celebration. It was broken up quickly by a bang of the judge's gavel.

"There will be order in this court," the judge demanded. The crowd quickly fell silent. Clearing her throat, the judge said, "In the event of a guilty verdict, Sam Benson has requested permission to address Miss Robinson directly. I hereby grant her such permission. Mrs. Benson, you may take the stand now. Sam rose from her seat after embracing her husband in a brief hug. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he whispered. Sam looked right in his eyes. "I'm sure," she answered.

Sam deliberately walked to the witness stand, her eyes locking with Missy's in an intense stare as she did so. She smoothed her dress as she sat, and took a deep breath. She looked right in Missy's eyes as she began. "I've had a lot of time to think in the past few months," she began. She took note that Missy was squirming in her seat. "Part of me wants to see you get the death sentence, to be in the front row at your execution, to look into your fearful eyes as they strap you down." Sam's voice was hard and steely as she spoke. The intent of her words was too much for Missy, who finally stared straight at the ground in front of her, sobbing as silently as possible so that no one else would pick up on her fear.

"Just like I did," she finished. But then, to the amazement of everyone in the courtroom, from the Jury Foreman to Carly, to Missy herself, Sam's tone unexpectantly softened. "But then I thought about it," she said after another deep breath. "How does killing you solve anything?" Missy slowly raised her head at the question. She expected Sam to be the leader of the lynch mob. "Will killing you bring Gibby and Valerie back, two innocent teens whom you murdered just to set me up? Will killing you give me back the two years I spent on death row?" Sam paused a moment, as if gathering her thoughts.

"Killing you won't solve anything, in my opinion it will send you on an undeserved vacation." Everyone in the court room gasped at Sam's words. Carly seemed to be holding her breath. "You clearly have some serious issues that I truly hope can be resolved." She turned to address the judge. "Your honor, please show mercy at her sentencing hearing. Give her life in prison without parole if you must, but do not sentence her to death. It won't solve a thing."

Turning back to Missy, she exhaled slowly. "For all that you have done to me and my sister, I can forgive you. For murdering Gibby and Valerie, I can never." She wiped a single tear from her eye, and as she stepped down, she looked straight at the judge. "Thank you, your honor." For several minutes, there wasn't a single sound. The judge finally broke the ice. "Well," she said slowly. "I think Mrs. Benson has given us all a lot to think about." She then looked right at Missy. "Especially you. I will see you at your sentencing hearing, one week from now. We're adjourned." Under heavier guard than Sam had ever been even in prison, Missy was led from the court room.

One week later.

"All rise!" the bailiff yelled. The judge quickly took her seat on the bench. "Be seated," she said as she did so. Missy glanced back to confirm Sam's presence. To her surprise, it was just Sam and Melanie. The rest of their posse, for lack of a better word was no where to be seen. Not even Freddie, Sam's husband. The judge got down to the business at hand with no delay. "Over the last week, I've had a lot to think about," she began. She looked straight at Missy as she spoke.

"I was inclined, before Mrs. Benson spoke, to sentence you to death, as she had been. But she did make a very good point. However karmic your death would be, it would not solve anything." Missy exhaled sharply. A look of relief seemed to wash over her face. "However," the judge continued, "the seriousness of your crimes, especially given how thought out in which they were enacted cannot be ignored. If I were to sentence you for each of the charges seperately, you would be looking at well over a century of prison time." The judge took a moment to allow this to sink in, noting the relief leave Missy as quickly as it had arrived. "I have never been a fan of sentencing a defendant to such an excessive amount of time when it is obvious that he or she would never live to see their sentence completed," she continued.

"So the decision I have come to is this. Melissa Robinson, it is the order of this court that you spend the rest of your life in prison," she said. There was an even tone to her voice. No harshness, nor malice could be heard as the judge continued. "I think however, that you are not beyond reform. You will be psychiatrically evaluated from time to time, and there will be a possibility for parole in twenty-five years. If that happens, it is my hope that you live the rest of your life in peace," she continued. Missy slowly nodded. She was resigned to her fate. "We're adjourned." With a bang of the gavel, it was all over. Missy could not bear to look forward as she was led from the court room.

As Sam and Melanie left the courthouse they were treated to a sight. "Mom?" Sam sputtered. Melanie thought for a second. "I'll be in the car," she said. With that she took her leave, leaving mother and eldest daughter face to face. After taking a moment to compose herself, Mrs. Puckett took the first step. "I heard what you said last week," she said slowly. Sam eyed her mother, not knowing what to make of this. To say there was aprehension was an understatement.

"How? I never saw you at the courthouse," Sam replied after several minutes of tense silence. "It was on the news," she replied. "Your asking for mercy was the top story," Mrs. Puckett continued. There was no point beating around the bush. "Look, I know I messed up. And it's gonna take a long time for both of us to get over all the hurtful things that were said." Tears flowed down her cheeks. "But I'm willing to try if you are." A rush of emotion hit Sam. She never hated her mother, but she was increddibly frustrating at times.

"I have some terms," Sam said. Jane Puckett didn't miss a beat. "Anything," she replied. "First, I want you to stop drinking," Sam said slowly. To her surprise, a smile began forming on her mother's face. "I thought you might," she said dryly. Sam looked around and noticed the sun was setting. "We can discuss everything else on the way home." With that, Sam and her mother embraced. It was a moment that was only witnessed by Melanie, and it brought tears of joy to her eyes.

**The End**


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